Well casing expander



A. L. PROUT 2,383,214

WELL CASING EXBANDER --Aug. 21, 1945.

Filed May 18, 1943 V INVENTOR. I I 7 Ze77s{(//e A P410071 1 36 BY v Patented Aug. 21,1945

Arthur IL, Pro uthliong Beach, Cali'fi', assignor of one-halfftobBessie' Pugsley, Long, Beach, and

I" appiieano m n is, 1943, Serial No. 487,467

3*Glaims.

1 ntion rrelatesr tet a tool: par icularly de signed; tort xpanding, dentedtmcollapsed or nartiallyi collapsed wellaca-sing; pipes tubes: and. the like andhas. for its-principal: object.) tozproyidea simple, sturdy and practical toolrwhictnie adantect to berm-q into welhcasingzon the like; and: rotated so; as towel-lent, dents. and'partiallycollapsed; pertions; inmrder to restore: ther casingr to -itsloriginall shape and diameter, and saidtools alsesbeingefipockets. orsslots 1 2. between therchamber and outer fective'in; rolling. out: blisters-Land.-fiombreahingsup. l9v any rust-or corrosiomaccumulationstenzthe inner.

surfaces ofthe casingor pipe.

A further object of my invention ishtoimiowidetat tool. of! the characterrreferred to, having a series of easing engaging rollers which are expanded so as to practically iron out irregularities in the casing wall and which rollers are capable of retractile movement at the termination of their expansive function, thus enabling the tool to be readily withdrawn from the pipe or casing after the latter has been restored to its original shape.

A further object of my invention is to provide a casing expander which will automatically lock the rollers against retractile movement after they have been expanded so as to act on tubes or casings having standard internal diameters, thus overcoming any possibility of expanding tubes or casing beyond their fixed diameters.

A further object of my invention is to greatly improve upon and simplify the construction of the tube and easing tool forming the subject matter of U. S. Letters Patent #1,594,1l4 issued to me July 27, 1926, also Pat. #1,615,306 issued to David G. Lorraine Jan. 25, 1927.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

my invention consists in Certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts Which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my improved casing expander with parts thereof in longitudinal section.

, Fig. 2 is cross section Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, I designates the body of the tool which is preferably cylindrical in shape and provided with an axial chamber l l and with longitudinally disposed circumferentially spaced taken on the line 2-2 of and forced with pressure against the inner surface of the casing by means of a tapered member,

facaofisaidtbodw. t

Formediin theunpe-rportion ofi body l0 between: the upper: end of chamber: M andzthe: topoii sa d body is a threaded:borev t3 andrfiormed: onzthe-upper end. of said body are one: or more radially disposed shouldered-4. w

Seatedin body illlabove-andbelew'. the pockets [2- are; the; ends of fixedrspindlesk5,, whichareinclinedslightly with respect to theaaxis of. thee toot and arranged so thatthein lower ends are. closer to said axisthan theinuppen ends. i

A capor bu-llnosei" I6 isescrew seated: err a threaded; lug- I l; omthe lower end.- otbody: to. thus covering the. lower endsv or the spindles-and preventing same from becoming detached from said Cylindrical rollers 18 having tapered or rounded ends are located in the pockets l2, each roller being provided with an axial bore IQ for the corresponding spindle and the diameter of these bores is somewhat greater than that of the spindles, thus enabling the rollers to move for an appreciable distance radially with respect to the body III.

A cylindrical member 20, having a diameter similar to that of body I0, is attached to. and depends from a drill string or the like and dependingfrom said member is a body 2| having an external thread 22 which engages the thread 13 in body Ill.

Depending from the threaded body 2 I is a mandrel 23 which gradually tapers toward its lower end and this mandrel is positioned and operates between the rollers I8.

Formed through member 20, body 2| and man drel 23 is an axial duct 24, the upper end of which communicates with the lower end of the circulation fluid flow duct through the drill string and thus the circulation fluid may discharge from the lower end of the mandrel into chamber II and flow outwardly through the pockets l2 around 'the rollers I8 therein, thus washing away dirt sediment, sand or the like and at the same time lubricating andcooling the rollers.

The fluid circulated through the tool may be air or gas or liquids such as water, oil or a liquid cleanser.

Formed on the underface of member 20 around the body 2| are radially disposed shoulders 25 which engage the shoulders M on top of body ID when the threaded body 2| is screwed downwardly to its limit in body I 0 and under such conditions, said body In is looked to and rotates with member 20 and the drill string.

drill string so that the rollers l8 carried by said body, will act with pressure against thelcas'ing' to restore same to its normal circular shape and diameter.

By partially unscrewing the mandrel from body I B, outward pressure on the rollers i8 is relieved, thus enabling the tool to be readily withdrawn from the casing.

Obviously the tools may be made in various sizes so as to be used in tubes or casing having fixed or standard internal diameters. With suitable supporting and driving means the tool may be used for expanding and acting upon tubes or casing sections which occupy substantially horizontal positions on a casing rack.

Where casing is collapsed to a practically fiat condition, it is advisable and highly advantageous to first use one of the expanding tools constructed in accordance with the hereinbefo-re mentioned patents, to be followed by the use of my improved tool for restoring the casing to the proper diameter and cross sectional form.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a well casing expander which is simple'in structure, inexpensive of manufacture and very efiective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved casing expander may be made and substituted for those herein shown and descrilkd without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is 'set forth in the appended claims.

. .I claim as my invention:

1. A tube or casing expander comprising a cylindrical body having an axial chamber, the

wallof said body surrounding the lower portion of said chamber being slotted lengthwise to form a plurality of pockets, the inner surface of the wall above said pockets being threaded, inclined rods extending lengthwise through said pockets, rollers mounted for rotary and,radial movement upon said rods, a mandrel having a threaded upper portion which engages the thread in the upper portion of the chamber in said body', the lower portion of which mandrel is tapered and engages said rollers and said mandrel having a fluid circulation duct communicatingwith the pocketsinsaidbody. 2. The tube or casing expander as set forth in claim 1 including cooperating shoulders on said body and mandrel for limiting the movement of said mandrel into said body.

3. The tube or casing expander as set'forth in claim 1, including a cap removably positioned on the lower end of said body for retaining the rods therein. p

v ARTHUR/L. PRQUTJ 

